have you ever had a dui, or been close?

[the_only_turek_fan]

One thing the city of Calgary can do to really help is to implement 24-7 transit. Especially the trains. Cabs can be very expensive and having the trains run 24-7 could help.

At the very least you could take the train to the closest station and then cab it back. A $30 ride becomes a $10 ride.

[GreenLantern]

First DUI I was 17 and got pulled over going back to a pit party with a full 18 of beer. They asked if I was drinking I said yes, I was pissed out of my tree, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honest it would be a .04 and a 30 day suspension instead of a .08.

Second time it was my second year University, now of age, again pissed out of my tree this time off whiskey, asked if I was drinking I said yes, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honesty it would be a .04 and a 24 hour suspension instead of a .08.

I know it sounds stupid, but that second time I really learnt my lesson. I think it was because I was a bit older now, I realised that both times with a different cop I could have gotten a year, or more, and a huge fine. If I kept driving I put everyones life around me at risk.

I haven't drank and drove since, not even after one beer. One beer I will walk or cab it, I don't care if it was 5 hours ago. If it is in the same "sitting" I do not drive. I think getting caught the way I did was a good thing because it set me straight for the rest of my life.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

First DUI I was 17 and got pulled over going back to a pit party with a full 18 of beer. They asked if I was drinking I said yes, I was pissed out of my tree, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honest it would be a .04 and a 30 day suspension instead of a .08.

Second time it was my second year University, now of age, again pissed out of my tree this time off whiskey, asked if I was drinking I said yes, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honesty it would be a .04 and a 24 hour suspension instead of a .08.

I know it sounds stupid, but that second time I really learnt my lesson. I think it was because I was a bit older now, I realised that both times with a different cop I could have gotten a year, or more, and a huge fine. If I kept driving I put everyones life around me at risk.

I haven't drank and drove since, not even after one beer. One beer I will walk or cab it, I don't care if it was 5 hours ago. If it is in the same "sitting" I do not drive. I think getting caught the way I did was a good thing because it set me straight for the rest of my life.

Most people think that it will never happen to them though....

I got pulled over at a checkstop on Halloween this year and had between 3 and 4 drinks in a 4ish hour span. I blew and passed. But just being through that experience was enough for me.

Stiffer laws are needed. You get caught once and you lose your license for good type of thing......there is enough education out there that being caught once should not be classified as a "mistake".

And yes, I am a hypocryte.

[Dan02]

the closest i've been is asked if i'd had anything to drink tonight at checkstops. Never had enough to even warrant having to blow.

[JD]

The thing about people who sit in their cars with no intention to drive and get busted anyway is that they don't realize how long it takes to truly sober up.

If you're tanked from a good night of drinking, it could take upwards of 10 hours for your body to process the alcohol to a point where you're legal to drive again. Depends on a number of factors, but in general, that's what it is.

Are you telling me you were planning to sit in your car that long?

It all comes down to planning ahead. If you know alcohol will be involved, uninvolve the car. It just doesn't need to be there in the first place. It makes all the drunk decision-making that much easier.

[transplant99]

It all comes down to planning ahead. If you know alcohol will be involved, uninvolve the car. It just doesn't need to be there in the first place. It makes all the drunk decision-making that much easier.

Precisely. Either dont take the car...or dont drink, very easy options.

I got a DUI in 1982 in Tempe AZ while on vacation with a buddy. Its a classic story I may share at some point with the CP masses, but there was little doubt I was at fault....even with multiple extenuating circumstances.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

yes, if playing GTA drunk counts as being close. Otherwise no.

I won't drive if I have one beer (unless it's been over an hour and I've had water as well). Reason being while my tolerance is rather high, they don't measure tolerance vs ability to drive, they measure blood alcohol content. I've a rather skinny individual, and frankly I think 1 beer might put me over 0.05% BAC. Not something I want to risk, if I don't have a ride or a place to crash I'll pay for the taxi.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by JorjeHrdina

Sure but it's a mistake that kills people.

I don't think people that drink and drive are evil, but I do think its a really stupid thing to do and the consequences for it need to be severe to deter others from doing it.

I totally agree. If you know you're going to be out drinking is it that difficult to find someone who isn't to make sure people who shouldn't be driving don't drive? The designated driver thing is really so easy and does save lives.

That said, my brother got a DUI, he was on his way home from my other brother's wedding. He refused the breathalizer because he doesn't trust them. In California, that means your license is automatically suspended for one year. He was arrested, booked, released. It cost him about 5000.00 for his attorney, plus all his fines, bail and court costs and he couldn't drive for a year. In California, not being able to drive is very, very inconvenient. After his year was up, he went to the DMV to get his license reinstated and found out they never actually suspended it. Somehow it slipped through the cracks and then too much time had passed to suspend it. He could've been driving the whole time. (I found it funnier than he did) Now his car insurance is way more expensive than a teenagers.

He learned his lesson. He will never drive after drinking again. He and his friends take turns being the designated non-drinker so none of them go through what my brother did...and considering what can happen to people who drink and drive, my brother, and other innocent people on the road, got off lucky.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

First DUI I was 17 and got pulled over going back to a pit party with a full 18 of beer. They asked if I was drinking I said yes, I was pissed out of my tree, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honest it would be a .04 and a 30 day suspension instead of a .08.

Second time it was my second year University, now of age, again pissed out of my tree this time off whiskey, asked if I was drinking I said yes, I blew I failed, I said I was sorry, they said because I was honesty it would be a .04 and a 24 hour suspension instead of a .08.

I know it sounds stupid, but that second time I really learnt my lesson. I think it was because I was a bit older now, I realised that both times with a different cop I could have gotten a year, or more, and a huge fine. If I kept driving I put everyones life around me at risk.

I haven't drank and drove since, not even after one beer. One beer I will walk or cab it, I don't care if it was 5 hours ago. If it is in the same "sitting" I do not drive. I think getting caught the way I did was a good thing because it set me straight for the rest of my life.

THEY CAN DO THAT?!?!?! In Nova Scotia there's zero tolerance, if you fail you fail and get the penalty, period. No "well you were honest, we'll cut you a break"

Frankly I like the NS way better. If there is an extenuating circumstance let the judge determine it. I don't want drunkards driving on my streets.

[ken0042]

I have been close, but never blown over. However I have to agree with Fotze, the solution should involve better solutions for when people are drunk. The last time I drove near drunk was a New Year's Eve. Calgary Transit had told me the last train from Anderson was 11:58pm. (Turns out it wasn't.) At 12:30 we started calling cabs. 5-10 people dialing cell phones unable to get through. Finally at 4:30 I decided to drive- there were no other options.

Of course now I know not to rely on taxis in this city. But all the advertizing we see tells us to take a cab if we are drunk. Unfortunately that doesn't work in this city most of the time.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by iggypop

My cousin currently doesn't have his license for the next couple months for this exact reason. He did the same thing. Got drunk, but decided it would be smartest to simply fall asleep in his drivers seat in a parking lot rather than drive home.

He was woken by a cop, who proceeded to give him a DUI and impound his car.

Shouldn't cops be supporting moves like this. Most kids his age would merely drive the couple blocks and go home to bed; heck they probably wouldn't get caught either.

But rather, he did the right thing, and now he is without a license for a few more months.

Makes sense to me....

I'm curious on one issue with this. I know if you have keys in your possession in the car you can get charged. But what if you put the keys in the trunk? They're not on you, nor in your direct possession. Any police officers/lawyers know the answer to that?

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I'm not saying people who get dui's should be given any sympathy, or cut any slack, but having that blower thing for the rest of your life seemed a little harsh to me. It would just seem like quite the punishment to be 50 years old, driving your grandkids to soccer practise, and having to explain to them that the reason your embarassingly blowing into a device shaped like a d*ck to start your car, is because you screwed up once when you were 17, over three decades ago. I mean there's lots of things you can do to screw up when your younger, but not too many I can think of, leave you with a permanent social stigma to make you look pathetic for the rest of your life.

It does seem harsh, but I'm in favour of the judicial system having the discretion to award stiff penalties in all things, whether it's violent crime, DUI, or something less dangerous; but I'd want to see the harshest penalties used in only the most extreme cases. If a judge sees a lack of remorse and a lifestyle that makes repitition likely, they should have the ability to assign very stiff penalties. On the other hand, it just doesn't make sense to give a blow tester to someone who got drunk at their Christmas party but is sober the other 364 days a year.
I'm not sure if the current machines have this technology, but they should track failed and passed tests, and operate on a parole system. If you haven't tried to start your car while over the limit in 10 years, you should be able to apply to have the tester removed.

[Jayems]

I do like me the sauce, but I'll never have more than 2 or 3 if i'm driving, (depending on the time it takes to have those, but usually 2 is the max) which is why I never drink that much at our games. Unless it's Halloween and we're in Indus and have a DD.

[burn_this_city]

I came super close when I was 17 or 18.. Left the flames game with 5 seconds left on the clock.. Driving down Blackfoot trail the checkstop bus turns off the side street by Shaw, and proceeds south down Blackfoot right infront of me. Get over the bridge at Glenmore and there almost 20 cop cars moving around to block the road. I followed the car infront of me through the cop car pylons and we were the last two cars through. Never drove hammered again.

[habernac]

Drove home from a New Year's party when I was 17. I have no memory of it. Ran into my buddy's truck in my driveway. Very lucky I didn't hurt anyone. My Dad woulsn't speak to me for 2 months. Didn't let me use the car for almost a year. I learned my lesson.

When you see a pal trying to do the same thing, just get the keys away from them. Any way you can. I've done it on one occasion to a friend of mine and he was forever grateful.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by Ice

That said, my brother got a DUI, he was on his way home from my other brother's wedding. He refused the breathalizer because he doesn't trust them. In California, that means your license is automatically suspended for one year. He was arrested, booked, released. It cost him about 5000.00 for his attorney, plus all his fines, bail and court costs and he couldn't drive for a year. In California, not being able to drive is very, very inconvenient. After his year was up, he went to the DMV to get his license reinstated and found out they never actually suspended it. Somehow it slipped through the cracks and then too much time had passed to suspend it. He could've been driving the whole time. (I found it funnier than he did) Now his car insurance is way more expensive than a teenagers.

He learned his lesson. He will never drive after drinking again. He and his friends take turns being the designated non-drinker so none of them go through what my brother did...and considering what can happen to people who drink and drive, my brother, and other innocent people on the road, got off lucky.

I used to know a guy, something like that happened to him. He got a DUI but for whatever reason it fell thru the cracks and he knew it so he kept driving. But then he was a witness to something at a bar and when they pulled his records they realized the mistake and soon after he lost his license for a year. lesson learned, never help anybody.

I've been stopped at the checkstop a few times, they ask and I'm honest, ya I had a couple at the bar and they wave me thru. One time tho when I had almost nothing to drink (had 2 and the last one was over 4 hours ago) they decided to breathalize me. I thought it was funny so I walk to the bus and its a black bus in the night so I couldnt find the handle to the door so i'm fumbling around like a drunk. Cop is probably warming up the cuffs thinking he got one. Anyway I blow, cant remember if it was 0.01 or just a 0 but the cop looks embarased in front of his other buddies and tells me I can go.

I want to get a breathalizer for fun now. Think of the drinking games that could ensue. Who can get to .1 the fastest, who can get closest to 0.05 without going over, and so on.

[the-rasta-masta]

I think they should install more of those self testers at bars. Honestly, when I have two or three beers, (even in a period of an hour or so), I feel totally sober. It's pretty easy to get in a car in that state of mind. When I first started drinking I didn't know what the threshold was at all. I am sure thats a problem many young drivers face.

A bigger mistake I made when I was younger was smoking weed and driving. Never got caught for that thankfully.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

I think they should install more of those self testers at bars. Honestly, when I have two or three beers, (even in a period of an hour or so), I feel totally sober. It's pretty easy to get in a car in that state of mind. When I first started drinking I didn't know what the threshold was at all. I am sure thats a problem many young drivers face.

A bigger mistake I made when I was younger was smoking weed and driving. Never got caught for that thankfully.

I think the reason they don't is people would get to 0.075 then drive thinking all is fine. Almost everyone driving away from the bar would have 0.075 which is still dangerous. So they try to keep people who are driving down to 1 or 2 beers, because if you knew you could have 4 beer and drive most would. While most people now err on the side of caution and stick to those 1 or 2.

[flip]

Have a few times. Never been close to being caught. Of the half dozen or so times they were all only a few blocks and when I was younger. A friend of mine got a DUI and it really sucked for her. I smartened up when I got older and haven't done it in several years.

I did get in a single vehicle accident (hit a curb) when I was 20, after a Flames game when I'd have 2 or 3 beers. The cops didn't even show up, it was 3am in Brentwood on a Saturday night after a Flames game, so I didn't have to blow or anything. I don't think I was over but just the experience of it scared me off drinking and driving anymore.

Worst occasion was after my cousin's b-day, I drove us home about 2 blocks, downhill in the middle of winter. There were no turns, just out of the parking lot and straight down the road. I was pretty hammered but I remember vividly doing it so I wasn't blacked. To this day I haven't been able to explain to my parents, or my Aunt how my car was at his house in the morning when I clearly drove to the pub. I think they know and that too has scared me a lot because being chastised is as scary for me as anything.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

One thing the city of Calgary can do to really help is to implement 24-7 transit. Especially the trains. Cabs can be very expensive and having the trains run 24-7 could help.

At the very least you could take the train to the closest station and then cab it back. A $30 ride becomes a $10 ride.

Totally agreed.

Me, I've never driven with more then 1 drink so I've been within limits. I usually try to stay below 1/2 a drink just in case; the only time I ever drove with 1 drink in me was to drive across 1 block from the restraunt (had a beer with dinner) to the movie theater.